THEY said we only needed two Arabic words – La shukran, meaning No thank you. But the Egyptian street traders paid no attention, so we tried No in English, repeated a million times. Beseiged by street traders at every tourist spot, we soon learned the ropes. ‘It is a present’ means it’s free but the giver…
THERE’S little in the colour of the water to justify the title of Blue Danube immortalised by Johann Strauss, but music is an ever-present accompaniment to trips into the cities which adorn the mighty river through the heart of Europe. The majestic state opera houses of Budapest and Vienna are the magnet for tourists seeking…
“A great day for all Australians,” said Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. No, he wasn’t referring to yet another Ashes cricket victory over England. Nor to his election victory nearly two years ago. Nor even to the day when his government might produce a budget surplus. He was referring to the birth of Princess Whatshername,…
Like many people around the world I donated money the other day to one of the aid agencies bringing relief to the earthquake survivors in Nepal. I just hope my money is effective. You do wonder. The whole business of charity donation is coloured with doubt. How much is actually getting through to where it…
Our granddaughter celebrates her 9th birthday today, which is another reminder of how quickly time flies by. It seems like only yesterday when I held her in my arms and purred over the arrival of our first grandchild. My daughter and her husband had held the name secret and now announced her as Summer. I…
Who says I’m old? Certainly not the population researchers at the think tank, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). They say I’m middle aged. Even though I’ve just turned 71. In fact, lead researcher Sergei Scherbov suggests that middle age begins at 60. According to the researchers, old age should be determined not by…
My friend JR is grinning like a Cheshire cat today. He’s just snapped up tickets for the AC/DC tour when it hits Perth in November. He refused to say how much but I did notice that tickets ranged up to A$627. It’s another example of the Baby Boomers supporting the retirement plans of our aging…
My son in London sent me an article from The Telegraph headed: ‘If you’re under 30, bad luck. You’re screwed.’ Writer Alex Proud was arguing that the Baby Boomers were spending big while their kids and grandkids were languishing in poverty. Or at least struggling to get a roof over their head, particularly in London.…
Booming Marvellous 